Although cats do not drink nearly as much water as dogs, they need enough water to maintain optimum kidney health and to lower the risk of urinary tract infections. Drinking water flushes toxins out of your cat’s system. A constant source of fresh water should be available for all cats.
How much water should be consumed daily by your cat? A variety of factors go into this answer,
including the size of your cat, the time of year (of course, hot weather means more water should
be consumed) and if your cat’s diet includes wet food or only dry cat food.
Normally, a cat will needs 2-4 ounces of fresh water in addition to its food. Dry food contains only 10 percent water, while canned is close to 80 percent water. Therefore, if cats are given only dry food, they will require significantly more supplemental water to stay hydrated.
When it comes to food your cat deserves the best, there is no better way to keep your cat happy than using automatic feeders!
We all know cats are finicky and how they view their water is no exception to this trait. Some cats seem to never drink out of a bowl of water, but run to the faucet for a drink when you turn on the faucet. Some seem to just play with their water or will only drink cold water. This could all be an instinctual aversion. In the wild, cats only drink moving water and of course, that water is cooler than room temperature water in a bowl.
Here are some tips to encourage your cat to drink so he stays properly hydrated.
- Move the water bowl — Try moving your cat’s water dish away from the food bowl.
- Make the water cool — Try adding a few ice cubes to the bowl, in case your cat does not like room temperature water.
- Change the bowl —Try changing the type of cat bowl. If your cat has a ceramic bowl, change to one made from metal, plastic or glass.
- Try a cat drinking fountain — Cat drinking fountains that constantly circulate water and keep water cool. This fountain requires electricity so be sure to think about where you will plug it in.
The best way I have found to encourage my cats to drink is by using a cat drinking fountain. The Fresh Flow Cat Waterer by PetMate is perfect for providing running, re-circulated water and provides naturally cool and oxygenated water attracting cats to drink more water. Perfect for on or multiple cat households. The translucent reservoir automatically adds water as needed and the pump runs silently. On/off switch with low voltage system for pet safety that plugs into standard household outlet. The patented ramp has a no-splash water-slide design and quiets running water. On/off switch with low voltage system for pet safety that plugs into standard household outlet.
The Fresh Flow Cat Waterer by PetMate will encourage your cat to drink and remain hydrated.